Amber eyes
by T.E.D.S
Summary: All alone in Central City, unable to remember his name, but sure he had something to do... the only thing he remembers is a pair of amber eyes. NOW FINALLY COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

A young boy woke up in one of the Central City's hospitals. It wasn't anything important; young boys wake up in hospitals every day. But this boy looked at his right hand and made a surprised face.

'What the hell…' he murmured. A nurse noticed he woke up and came closer to him.

'How are you, little one?' she asked with an imitated smile. The boy hesitated for a while.

'It hurts' he said finally.

'Where?'

'My head… and ribs. There hurts the most.'

'Would you want something to soothe the pain?'

'Yes, please…'

The boy swallowed the pill the nurse gave him. Then he looked at his hand again.

'Why is it… steel?' he asked.

'It seems you've had it for a quite long time, assuming from scratches on it. What's your name?'

'I can't remember' the boy said calmly, although he was terrified. 'Where are my clothes? Maybe I could remember if I take a look…'

'Not now. Lie down and try to sleep…'

The boy obeyed. With his head tightly bandaged, he didn't feel like thinking over to find his name. He just wanted some rest. The pain stopped and the boy fell asleep.

When he woke up again, he demanded his clothes. The nurse who was present this time gave him a pile of worn-out clothes. The boy frowned, watching them. There was nothing special; black jackets with a metal bar for fastening were on top, so almost every teenager had one; a black t-shirt could belong to anyone, no matter how old were they; black trousers shyly suggested a subculture in which everyone looked the same; black, leather boots suggested the same. There was one more detail: a metal chain was hanging from the belt. It was obvious that this chain was longer before and that there must have been something on the end of it, but the boy had no idea what it could be. All the pockets were empty; there wasn't even a used train ticket.

'How did I get here?' the boy asked.

'Someone noticed you, lying near a telephone box, and called an ambulance. You were seriously injured… the police already know. Someone must have attacked you…'

'Could it be that the same person attacked me and called an ambulance?'

'No, we can't consider this. It was obvious that the ambulance was called more than an hour after you got injured.'

'So I was lying there for over an hour… and no one noticed?'

'I don't know what you were doing there, but it's a very dangerous place, especially at night. You can't be from Central City if you didn't know, and you didn't know for sure, because if you did, you wouldn't go there. Almost no one goes this way, but a State Alchemist went… and saw you.'

'State Alchemist…' the boy repeated. 'Central City…'

'Does this ring a bell?'

'No. I'm sorry.'

'It's not your fault. After a shock, or being hit, you could lose your memory just temporarily. If you don't regain it in several days, we'll try to help you.'

The boy just nodded. He lied when he said that the words "State Alchemist" and "Central City" didn't remind him anything; in fact, they gave him a slight feeling he should remember, somehow important, just like his steel arm and chain. Then a terrifying feeling came to him.

He couldn't be from Central City. He was a stranger. No one could know him here. This meant that no one could tell him his name… no one could help him. The boy asked for a pen and a piece of paper.

"Central City", "State Alchemist". He wrote down these words. He felt like he was trying to solve a jigsaw having only two pieces. Three – he wrote down "chain". But all these pieces needed more to have anything in common.

The boy lay down, turning his face to the bed on his left. There lay a little girl with light-brown hair and amber eyes.

Amber eyes. The boy thought it should also remind him of something. He wrote down these two words.

Maybe he was meant to find here a state alchemist with amber eyes?


	2. Chapter 2

The boy washed himself up. The nurse offered to help him and he agreed as his broken ribs hurt a lot. Actually he let her wash him. Later he heard her phoning someone, most probably the police. He heard several words, like "fair hair and golden eyes", "about twelve, maybe thirteen years old" and "certainly not from Central". He didn't worry much; he hoped that the police would help him find his parents. And his parents would remind him his name. Anyway, what could he do apart of going to bed and waiting, at least until his wounds heal up?

He lay down while the girl in the bed next to his was crying. The boy lazily opened his eyes.

'What's up, little one?' he asked. The girl sobbed.

'I miss Mommy and Daddy' she said.

'Don't worry, they'll come see you tomorrow…'

'Yes, I know, but… but they always told me a goodnight story while I was lying in bed…'

'Goodnight story? No problem. I can tell you a fairy tale. So now stop crying, wipe your eyes and lie down…'

'All right, I'm lying!' the girl shrieked. The boy smiled a little bit.

'Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, a wise king lived and ruled. He had a wife who was the queen and a daughter who was a princess. The princess was very pretty; she had long, blond hair and big, amber eyes. Princes from all over the world were coming and asking the princess to marry them, but she rejected them all and went hunting. She went hunting any time she got bored, tired or annoyed with being princess. She wore plain blouse, long trousers and knee-high boots, tied up her hair, took her crossbow and arrows and whistled for her dog. Then they went hunting. The princess was very good at shooting and every time she went hunting she killed a rabbit or a hare or a bird… but she hunted only for pleasure. And one day, a prince who hadn't seen her before, was riding on horseback through the forest she was hunting in. the prince saw the princess and fell in love with her, not knowing who she was. She looked just like a hunter so he thought she was one. Anyway, he went to the palace, because his parents, who were king and queen from the neighboring kingdom, wanted him to marry the princess. When he proposed to her, she rejected him. The prince was very handsome, he was tall and black-haired, and his eyes were very dark, almost black yet still blue. He was very sad when the princess rejected him, but he was witty and he had a friend dragon. He asked the dragon to capture the princess. And the dragon, big, fire-breathing dragon, captured the princess and kept her in his cave. Many brave knights wanted to save the princess, but no one succeeded. After several weeks, when the princess was willing to marry anyone who'd save her, the black-haired prince came. He didn't need to fight with the dragon. He saved the princess and took her back to her parents. And the prince and the princess got married and lived long and happily… the end.'


	3. Chapter 3

The boy felt better after several days. They let him leave the hospital. He walked in some direction, not knowing where to go. He had to lie that he remembers that he's named John Hawkeye and he came to Central to visit his auntie Elisabeth. But what should he do? Amber eyes… state alchemists… military…

The boy went to the Central Headquarters. He wasn't let into, so he sat outside waiting for god only knows what. He heard several excited voices in the street, something about great state alchemist, Edward Elric. It seemed the Fullmetal Alchemist came to Central. Some soldier asked the boy what he was doing on stairs to the headquarters. Without hesitating he said that he wanted to see the Fullmetal Alchemist. And just when he said this, he realized it was true. He DID want to see him, just because he was curious how the great alchemist would look like. He stayed at the stairs until a blonde woman noticed him.

'Oh, Edward!' she said, going up to him. 'What's the matter? You don't look very well…'

The boy looked at her, astonished. Military… she was wearing a military jacket… she had amber eyes…

'I found you!' he said with joy. She nodded and took him away.

'Let's go to my place. Hope you have this message from the East…'

When they were sitting at the table, the boy sighed.

'Excuse me, Ma'am… I… I can't remember a thing. Can't remember how I got here… what I was supposed to do here… can't even remember my name. I'm sorry…' he whispered.

'Edward, look at me' the woman said. 'You are Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist.'

'I… I am? If I were Fullmetal Alchemist, I'd have here a silver watch…'

'Unless it's not stolen. Edward, I'll remind you some things. My name is Riza Hawkeye.'

'Riza Hawkeye…' Edward repeated.

'You are a State Alchemist and your superior is Colonel Roy Mustang. I'll call him later. So that you can see him… and I'll ask him what we can do with you. You became a State Alchemist when you were twelve…'

'When I was twelve? So… how old am I now? I look like I'm twelve now. I'm short and…'

'You're sixteen. You have a little brother, Alphonse. He should be in Resembool now. It's the village the two of you are from… oh, I haven't asked you what you'd like to drink now… coffee, tea, juice, milk…?'

'Some milk please. Do you know why I'm here?'

Riza sighed, pouring him a glass of milk.

'You should bring us an important message. I'm sorry, but it seems I have to keep you here until you get your memory back…'


	4. Chapter 4

The man that came next day had something from a dragon. Ed couldn't say if it was something in his eyes – dark, but when he looked deeper, he could see a flame burning deep inside, or maybe it was the manner he walked. There was also something familiar in this man…

'Dad…?' Ed whispered. The man looked at him with anger.

'I'm not your father, Fullmetal' he said. 'I'm Colonel Roy Mustang.'

Riza laid her hand on Roy's shoulder and whispered something to him. Roy smiled.

'Fullmetal, it seems you can't remember me. I'm your superior, but I think you deserve a… vacation… let it be. If you lost your memories, it's my thing as well as yours. I'll do my best so you regain them. First, tell me what you remember. Whatever.'

Ed hesitated for a while.

'I'm fifteen and I live in Resembool. My name is Edward Elric. I'm state alchemist, but I lost my silver watch. I got here by train. I have a little brother, Al. My right arm and left leg are automails. That's all…'

Roy sighed.

'Riza, do you want a few free days? Or I can take Ed…'

'No, Roy, just for today. Ed can stay at mine and I can work. He's not a baby, he can care for himself. Besides, we must decide how he lost his memory… maybe someone did it on purpose?'

'We must investigate it thoroughly' Roy whined. 'I hate such work…'

Riza and Roy kissed. Then Roy left. He went straight to his office, where he met…

…Fullmetal, sitting casually on the chair opposite his desk.

'You're late, Colonel' Ed smirked. 'Something _unusual_ stopped you, as always?'

Roy pretended he's calm and he didn't just leave Ed at Riza's. He sat at his desk and looked at the boy who acted like and resembled Fullmetal, however, something in Roy's gut told him the fullmetal he just left at Riza's was the real one. He told Havoc to close the door.

'Tell me what you came with' Roy said. Fullmetal started talking about his journey, next about fake philosopher's stone, next about criminals he helped to catch…

Roy couldn't help feeling it was true story about Fullmetal, but he still didn't believe in the Ed just in front of him. When Ed took off his jacket, he noticed it.

'Fullmetal, what did you do with your scar?' Roy asked.

'What scar?' Ed asked. Roy sighed.

'You had a burn scar on your left forearm. After our last battle, remember?'

'What are you…'

'No, what are _you_?'

Fake Ed frowned and turned to a palm tree-like creature. Whatever it was, it attacked Roy. The colonel burned it, and again, and again. The creature didn't care for this. It was just attacking, playing with Ed's silver watch. Roy grabbed the watch and burned the creature again, then threw it out of the window. He coughed. Whatever it was, it reached Roy several times, leaving deep cuts. The colonel went to the bathroom to cleanse the wounds. He was sure they'll leave scars, but he didn't care for this. He now knew who wanted Ed not to remember himself…


	5. Chapter 5

_Don't kill me... I had this written ALL THE TIME and DIDN'T PUBLISH. It's the ending I planned from the very beginning, maybe it's not very well-written, but still._

Ed woke up early in the morning, before Riza left for work. He joined her at the table. He didn't eat much, but drank over a liter of milk.

'What will you do with me?' he asked.

'We'll try our best to get you memory back. I'll call some of your friends… maybe someone will come.'

Ed nodded and drank next glass of milk.

'Um… First Lieutenant?' he said. 'Could I have some oil?'

'What oil?'

'I must clean, oil and polish my automails.'

'Use the one I use to my guns. It's in the drawer right behind you.'

'Thanks a lot.'

Riza watched as Ed took the oil and went to the room he was given before. She shook her head. _It's not the Ed I knew_, she thought.

She picked the phone and called Winry. After a short talk, the mechanic agreed to come to Central City. Riza assured she'd come pick her up at the railway station. She didn't want to take chances with another person.

At the office, everyone noticed Riza was thinking about something else than work. Of course she didn't tell anyone what was about. Ed lost his memory and was different. He was nicer and a bit… mellow? Yeah. He was mellow and mature. He admitted he was short…

Riza and Roy had the same thought at the same moment: maybe it wasn't so bad that Ed lost his memory? Maybe now, when they knew and they would recognize him, they should let him start again?

In the evening, Riza picked Winry up at the railway station and went home with her. Ed was half-naked, still polishing his shiny right arm. Winry was astonished.

'Ed!' she screamed. Ed looked at her and shook her hand.

'Hello, nice to see you' he said. 'Could you remind me your name?'

'I'm Winry.'

'Winry. Pretty name for a pretty girl, if anyone asks me.'

'Ed, just so you know: she's your mechanic. She made your automails' Riza said. Ed nodded.

'I'm sorry. I don't remember you at all. What a shame, to forget such a beautiful girl… how could I forget you?'

'Ed… Ed…' Winry whispered. Riza left the room, hearing the phone ringing. It was Roy. She invited him for a tea or two. When she came back to the room, the two teenagers were staring at each other silently. Ed was watching a photo Winry gave him.

'So I have a brother' he said finally. 'Would you take me to him?'

_After several weeks, Ed learned back everything he forgot, including alchemy. __Yet still he took care of his automails and was much nicer to people than before losing his memory._

_A year after he married Winry. He grew quite a bit because of drinking lots of milk and always handed his report on time._


End file.
